What would you die for?
by DustyStars
Summary: It's never a good idea to develop feeling in the area- it can only lead to loss and tears... But sometimes it can't be stopped. This is the story of how a boy from District 10 and a boy from District 4 meet in the worst circumstances. HiJack HG AU. One-shot, may become a two-shot. Edit: NOW TWO-SHOT.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! So this was meant to be a little oneshot that sort of grew into this- I swear I can't write short pieces to save my life! It's HiJack again, this time in a Hunger Games AU, which was really fun to write actually. The italics are flashbacks to earlier in the games, the normal text is current events, and it's told from Hiccup's point of view (3** **rd** **person ). Also this is a one-shot, may develop into a two-shot (see bottom of story).**

 _ **Disclaimer- I don't own HTTYD, RotG or the Huger Games.**_

 _ **Warnings- blood, violence, death. (Well it is the hunger games!)**_

 **Enjoy!**

 _DustyStars_

 _ **xxx**_

They were trapped. The four Career tributes from Districts one and two were stood opposite them in a line, smiles and smirks gracing their features. Mutts surrounded them in the dying sunset, yapping and snarling as they attempted to reach the six remaining tributes stood on the dome of the Cornucopia. The only sounds in the air were those of the beasts below them and the slight whistle of the wind through the trees that dotted the arena.

Hiccup and Jack were crouched together at the far end of the dome, cornered and exhausted after their sprint through the forest in an attempt to get away from the mutts. The pair had been unlucky enough to catch the attention of the four teenagers that now stood in front of them, the ones that had banded together from the start and made it their duty to hunt down each and every child or teenager from the other districts.

On the far right were the two tributes from District 2. The girl, Nightmare, was holding a thin silver bow in front of her, though she had yet to load it, and her grin turned into a feral snarl as her black hair whipped around her, partially obscuring her unnatural yellow eyes. Hiccup flinched slightly as she looked at him- she had killed Heather, the female tribute from his own district, during the bloodbath on the first day of the games.

Right next to her stood Pitchiner- a tall, quiet teen with the same unnatural yellow eyes and black hair, though he was a pale as Nightmare was dark. He had proven to be a sly opponent during the games, setting traps and snares which Hiccup knew had claimed the lives of at least four tributes.

To the left, closer to Jack, were the twins from District 1. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were both blonde and favoured melee weapons- right now they were both brandishing heavy axes and Hiccup was sure they had more weapons concealed on their persons. He also knew that Ruffnut had murdered the small girl from Jack's district, a tiny little thing called Sophie who hadn't stood a chance in the games.

The games had gone on a lot longer than most. It had been five weeks since they had all been training together in the Capitol, five weeks with little food, little sleep and the constant fear of a knife being stabbed into your back.

The arena this time was fairly compact yet diverse. The gamemakers had made it to contain most terrains and atmospheres, from the flat marshy areas towards the bottom to the snowy mountainous region at the far end. Each area was laced with a range of traps, so many it was a miracle so many of them had survived this long. The Cornucopia sat in a clearing at the centre of the area as was tradition, and had he wished to Hiccup could have seen the starting posts they had entered the games on.

The mutts had spawned in the dense forest to the left of the clearing just as he and Jack had been settling down for the night. One second they had been talking, the next the air around them had been filled with whines and howls and the sounds of multiple animals. They had fled, dropping most of their carefully collected weapons in the process, and ran until the Cornucopia was in sight.

The howls had attracted the attention of the careers who had appeared out of the woodland at the other end of the clearing, beginning to run towards them until they notices the mutts hot on their heels. The only way to survive was to climb onto the dome, which the six of them had done, leaving them here. Trapped.

Hiccup shouldn't have been surprised. He knew this time would come.

 _He had known when he said goodbye to his parents and his cat that morning that he wouldn't return. It was the day of the reaping, and his name had been put in more times than he could count. He was the chief's son, yes, but too many times people had come to him and begged for food, food he couldn't provide without signing up for tesserae. And he had done, countless times, because that was just the sort of person he was._

 _He had to take care of them, the people of district ten. His best friend, Astrid, born into poverty and unable to provide for her family without assistance, the village elder Gothi, who had nobody else to care for her, the countless families with children to feed but nothing to give them. He helped them all._

 _So when his name was pulled from the bowl of paper he knew better than to act surprised. The crowd around him parted to let him pass, murmuring well wishes and thanks as he made his way to the stage to stand by Heather. He couldn't look at his parents. They had such high hopes for him, he was supposed to take over the district after his father stepped down. Now he would likely be leaving an entire district without an heir. It was a shame really. This had been the last year he could have been chosen._

Hiccup felt the boy next to him shift slightly, moving closer until their arms brushed. Without thinking Hiccup laced their hands together as they faced the four on the dome. Hiccup risked a look at Jack only to find he was staring right back at him. His blue eyes were frightened but determined, and his white hair had been tinted slightly orange in the glow of the setting sun.

Hiccup never wanted the light to leave those eyes. They were full of so much life, such selflessness and bravery, and they lit up more whenever Jack laughed. Throughout their time in the arena they had never dimmed for long, never turned cold. He didn't deserve this fate.

No, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that this boy had been sent here to die- there was so much he could have done, Hiccup thought bitterly, so much he could have achieved, yet it was all going to be taken from him. A selfless act of bravery and he had been rewarded with this.

 _Hiccup leaned against the cushion on his chair as the train sped through fields and meadows towards the Capitol. The screen in front of him was about to show the reapings from each of the districts. It was the first time they would get to see what they were up against._

 _He and Heather, along with their mentor Gobber and their Capitol escort Ana watched as the Panem logo appeared on the TV accompanied by garish music. A voiceover announced that the replay of the reapings were about to be shown and Hiccup couldn't help but think, 'these are the people I have to kill'. It was an unsettling thought._

 _The first two district's tributes volunteered as expected, a set of twins from the first and a seemingly unrelated couple from the second. They strode confidently up to their places on the stages, acting as though they owned the place as the assembled crowds cheered them on._

 _The third district's tributes were chosen, not volunteered, but they seemed strong nonetheless. They would be clever too, coming from a district that specialised in technology. The boy was short with sand coloured hair, and as he stared out over the crowd he wore an expression of determination to go with his small, almost cheeky smile. Hiccup decided there and then that he wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him._

 _The fourth district was slowly brought into focus as the third one faded, and Hiccup vaguely remembered that four specialised in water farming. The girl was chosen, far too young to be competing, and the occupants of the carriage let out a collective sigh- there was no way she would make it._

 _The camera zoomed in to show the Capitol member for the district reaching into the bowl of boy's names and pick one out._

' _Jamie Overland,' she said in a false cheery voice._

 _The camera angle switched to the area where the boys were stood, but there seemed to be some commotion. A small brown haired boy was slowly heading towards the stage with a look of terror on his face but there was also a scuffle taking place towards the back of the group where the older boys stood._

" _No!" a voice could be heard. "Jamie, no!" The camera zoomed in on a shock of white hair as a boy managed to break free of his peers and began running to the stage._

" _Stop! I volunteer! I volunteer in his place!"_

 _There was a moment of silence before the crowds gathered in the square of district four began to shout. The camera crew seemed to be going crazy, trying to film everything at once. It was clear that the people of district four didn't want the boy to be in the games if the looks of fear and worry on their faces were anything to go by. Hiccup saw more than a few tears shed by adults and children alike- it was almost certain that the boy volunteering was well liked by his district._

 _The commotion continued as the white haired boy pushed Jamie back to the crowd and ascended the stairs in his place. It was only when he had reached the top did the noise quieten._

" _And who might you be?" the Capitol woman asked, surprise evident in her voice._

" _Jackson. Jackson Overland. I'm Jamie's brother."_

" _Well then," the Capitol woman said, attempting to regain her composure. "It would seem we have our district four tributes: Sophie Bennett and Jackson Overland!"_

 _The camera once again switched to show the shocked and saddened faces of Jackson's district before focussing once more on the boy in question. Hiccup had just enough time to see the determination in his unnatural blue eyes before the screen faded away and was replaced with the reaping scene of the next district._

 _Hiccup could barely concentrate through the rest of the reapings. He was dimly aware of his own reaping- of the look of calm that showed on his face as he ascended the steps to take his place next to Heather. The camera somehow managed to focus on his parents, and he was forced to see the looks of sadness and grief on their faces, mirrored by so many more around them, before his own face was once again shown for all of Panem to see._

 _Once the final district had its tributes Ana turned off the tv and turned to them all._

" _Well that was exciting, wasn't it?" she said, and without waiting for an answer she pulled out a schedule and began to rattle off all the things they were expected to do when they finally arrived at the heart of Panem._

 _Hiccup heard none of it. All he could think was, 'There's no way I'm going to be able to kill a single one of them. How can I think of murdering someone who was brave enough to take his own brother's place?'_

"Looks like we're the winners here."

Nightmare was the first one to break the silence, her voice shattering the illusion of the calm before the storm. The others nodded, and Hiccup couldn't help but silently agree with them. They were four of the strongest tributes in the games and he and Jack… Well their scores had been pretty high back at the training centre but none of that mattered when in a life or death situation.

"How do you want to die?" Tuffnut, the district one boy, asked. "We seem to have a lot of options here."

"Yeah,"Ruffnut goaded. "We could throw you to the mutts if you like. Or you could go out with a good old fashioned fight?" She raised her blood-stained axe threateningly. "I'm liking the latter."

Neither he nor Jack spoke. The only movement was Jack clenching his hand tighter in an attempt to stop the shaking that wracked his body. Hiccup wanted to hug him, hard, hard enough for Jack to forget the horror of the situation, but that wasn't an option. He wished he was back in the training centre in the Capitol, the place where it didn't matter if you missed the target or if you made a mistake. Here a mistake could easily mean death.

 _He and Heather headed down to the training centre after breakfast under the orders on Ana. Gobber had told them they had a week to train, just seven days until they were thrown into the arena. He had advised them to work on a wide range of things, to learn new skills instead of practice the ones they already knew. That way the other tributes wouldn't know all of their strengths and weaknesses._

 _He and Heather decided to train separately so they wouldn't hold each other back, so once the doors to the training centre opened they parted ways immediately. Hiccup stayed away from the other tributes as much as he could, not wanting to get into a conversation with people he would be trying to kill in a week._

 _The four Career tributes were grouped together around the weapons stations, already allies by the looks of it. One of them nodded towards him and the others turned, sizing him up. Apparently they didn't see him as much of a threat as the turned away a few seconds later, leaving Hiccup to further analyse the room. The boy from district three was at a more complicated looking station filled with wires and strange looking equipment, and Hiccup noticed the small girl from district four watching the sand-haired boy from behind a pillar._

 _He didn't recognise any of the other tributes other than Heather._

 _Hiccup ended up at a station teaching tributes to make fire. He had done it before at home with flint found in the fields in his district, but it would be unlikely that there would be any of that in the arena. He spent an hour or so coaxing flames out of different materials before a shadow fell over him and he felt a presence next to him._

" _Hey. District ten, right?"_

 _Hiccup turned to the owner of the unfamiliar voice. It was the white haired tribute from district 4. Jackson Overland, the one who had volunteered. He was currently looking at the range of materials at the station instead of at Hiccup, making him wonder if he had spoken at all._

" _Um, yeah," he replied somewhat awkwardly. "You're the one who volunteered."_

 _It was a statement, not a question, but Jackson nodded in confirmation, finally selecting some wood and turning to Hiccup._

" _That's me."_

 _They stared at each other for a moment before quickly averting their eyes._

" _So," the boy said, clearing his throat, "Care to teach me how to set fire to things?"_

 _The pair spent another hour at the fire station before moving onto one that taught tributes how to make nets for fishing._

" _My speciality!" the white haired boy remarked._

" _Of course, I forgot you were district four there, Jackson," Hiccup replied, trying out the name for the first time._

" _Please, call me Jack."_

" _Okay."_

"I could just shoot them," Nightmare suggested, absently reaching for an arrow in her quiver. "That way they'd fall and get eaten by the mutts while we watch."

Pitchiner nodded. "I like it."

Hiccup felt Jack's shaking increase. The weeks of stress had taken its toll- the white haired boy was nearly at his breaking point. The last thing he needed was descriptions of how the teens planned to kill him. Hiccup needed to find a way to stall them. Anything.

"Aww, but then we don't get to hit them," Tuffnut was saying. "Where's the fun in that?"

"Yeah, what's the fun without getting blood everywhere?" his sister agreed.

Hiccup felt Jack's grip get even tighter and a small whimper passed his lips. It was now or never. Cutting off whatever Pitchiner was about to say, Hiccup spoke.

"And what exactly are you going to do once you've killed us? There can only be one winner."

 _It was the night before the games began, and Hiccup couldn't sleep. Sure, he had spent the last week preparing himself both mentally and physically for the task ahead, but no amount of preparation could ease the sick feeling in his stomach._

 _He had spent most of his time in the tribute centre with Jack, often purely because they found themselves at the same station hoping to pick up new skills, but by the fourth day they were also sitting together for lunch together with Heather and Sophie. Hiccup could tell that his district's girl wasn't happy with the tenuous alliance but she went along with it begrudgingly. He thought it had something to do with the slightly protective streak she had towards Sophie._

 _Hiccup glanced at the clock across the room. 2am. Perfect, now he would be exhausted from the start of his time in the arena, something he could really do without. For what felt like the hundredth time Hiccup closed his eyes and tried to force himself to sleep._

 _A knock on the door quickly put a stop to that._

" _Must be Heather," Hiccup sighed as he dragged himself out of bed and went to the door. When he opened it however it was not the sight of Heather that greeted him; it was Jack._

" _Can't sleep?" were the first words out of Hiccup's mouth._

 _The other boy shook his head. "Too busy imagining all the creative ways to die out there."_

" _Yeah, pain. Love it," Hiccup agreed sarcastically before holding the door open for Jack._

 _He didn't bother to ask why he was here, they both knew that. Throughout the week they had spent training together Hiccup's feelings had… Progressed slightly. He found himself looking at Jack a little too long, accidentally drawing out the slight touches that happened when one got in the other's way, and he began to realise Jack was doing the same. Neither had spoken about it but both had noticed._

 _Jack was here so they could spend their last safe night together._

 _They moved across the room to the full length glass doors that led to a small balcony outside Hiccup's room, and ended up sat outside looking out over the city._

" _The view is so much better up here than from my floor," Jack remarked quietly, and Hiccup had to agree with him. Darkness had fallen long ago, the natural light of the sun giving way to the thousands of pinpricks of light generated by the Capitol, all of which came together to form a spread of colour that enveloped the city. From the tenth floor of the tribute centre it really was quite a sight._

" _I never saw anything like this before," Hiccup said. "In ten the days are long so there's no need for artificial light most of the year. We make do with the natural sunlight and light fires when darkness falls."_

 _Jack nodded to show he had heard before turning his head to survey the rest of the landscape below him._

" _I never thought I'd end up here," he said after a silence. "Most years my name has only been in a couple of times, sometimes only once."_

 _Hiccup watched him out of the corner of his eye. The wind was disturbing Jack's hair a little, blowing it so it partially obscured his right eye. Hiccup wanted to reach out and brush it out of the way._

" _But when I heard Jamie's name I knew I couldn't just stand there and let him go," Jack continued, still gazing out at the city. "It was his first year his name was in too, whereas this was my penultimate year. I figured it was time I did something useful for once."_

" _What do you mean?"_

 _Jack finally turned his gaze to Hiccup._

" _I mean I was the entertainment factor of my district. Always making the kids laugh, playing pranks, generally just fooling around. Sure, people liked me but I sometimes felt that they didn't really take me seriously. Even though I always worked as hard as the rest of them they didn't seem to see that side of me… Maybe this will prove that I can be as valuable as the rest of them."_

 _The white haired boy fell silent and looked away, leaving Hiccup feeling confused. People didn't see the serious side of Jack? Jack, who volunteered for the games and trained as hard as the rest of them? That wasn't fair. Without thinking Hiccup reached over and placed his hand over Jack's._

" _Don't you ever think you're not valuable, Jack," he said, voice a little harsher than he expected. "Don't let anyone make you think that, because it's not true."_

 _Jack nodded slightly before turning fully to face the other boy, sitting cross legged on the balcony floor._

" _I'm glad I met you, Hic."_

" _I'm glad to have met you too, Jack."_

" _May the odds ever be in your favour."_

" _Yours too."_

 _Blue eyes locked onto green, and at that moment Hiccup knew he had gone too far. There was no way he was going to be able to kill Jackson in the arena- he would rather die himself._

Hiccup's question was met with silence from the Career tributes. He had clearly brought up a point that none of them had considered- with him and Jack gone they would be forced to fight each other, turning on each other just like the Capitol wanted.

"You'd be left trying to kill each other until only one was left," Hiccup continued, determined to say his piece before the other tributes broke their silence. "There are four of you, so of course you would fight district to district, but what then? You'd turn on your own? You know there can only be one winner, surely it would be better for not to die at an ally's hand?"

He saw Pitchiner's eye twitch and Ruffnut shoot the district two tributes a fleeting look. He was getting to them.

"Tell me why we shouldn't just kill you right now and have it over with." Pitchener's eyes were narrowed.

"Because there's no honour in killing someone from your own district to end the games," Hiccup replied, trying to disguise the tremor in his voice. "But winning by defeating the other districts- there is your true victory."

' _I just killed someone, I just killed someone, I just killed someone!'_

 _It was the only thought running through Hiccup's mind as he fled through the forest. He felt sick, his stomach was rolling and there was an acidic taste in his mouth. Pausing to crouch and retch slightly he tried to get the image of the dead boy out of his mind. The look of fear on his face as he had seen Hiccup's knife hurtling towards him a second too late before it had hit him in the chest wouldn't get out of his head._

 _The look had turned to shock and then pain as he slumped forwards, sandy hair falling about his face as the lights left his eyes, the electrified wires he had been holding falling from his hands._

' _I killed him, I killed him, I killed him I killed him I killed him.'_

 _Hiccup had retrieved the knife as quickly as he could, hands shaking as he cleaned it and put it back into his makeshift sheath. Then he ran._

' _He was going to kill me, he was going to kill me, I had to.'_

 _He stared at the ground in front of him as he attempted to control the wave of nausea that threatened to overcome him. He didn't know how long he crouched there, eyes unfocussed and back exposed for anyone who cared to walk by. He didn't care. He was a killer- he deserved to die anyway._

 _He didn't even look up when he heard the rustle of a bush near him, and the tell-tale snap of a twig underfoot._

" _Make it quick," he said, attempting to make his voice as devoid of emotion as possible._

 _But the pain he was expecting never came. Instead he felt arms around his waist and soft hair tickled his neck._

" _I found you, Hic."_

He could see the tension on their faces. His words seemed to have had an effect on them, though the outcome could still swing either way. He didn't miss the way the twins edged slightly closer to each other, now taking in the potential double threat. He saw Nightmare grasp her arrow slightly tighter as she moved backwards a little to get a better shot. Jack's shaking seemed to calm a little.

There was a new sort of silence in the air. Even the mutts had quietened slightly as the six of them faced each other on the dome, four of them finally realising they could no longer be allies. The air rested heavily around them, as though it was trying to suck the life from them, and Hiccup moved closer to Jack, attempting to control his own shudders. The wind ceased for a moment just as a lone mutt howled. Then, the Careers moved.

" _Sophie, no!"_

 _It was too late though. The young girl was already dead. Jack's cry had alerted the group that stood around her, their heads whipping around trying to find the source of the shout. Hiccup clamped his hand over Jack's mouth to stop any further noise, and they both waited in silence as the group below tried to find them._

" _They must have run off," one of the boys said. "Reckon it was that district four freak?"_

" _The one with the weird hair?" a girl with flaming red hair asked._

" _Yeah."_

" _No, I'm sure he's still here," Pitchiner said lowly. "Keep looking."_

 _From their hiding place far up in the trees Jack and Hiccup watched as the group attempted to find them. There was nowhere else to go- they were effectively backed between a rock and a hard place. There were seven in total, the four careers and three from other districts who had obviously been deemed good enough to join them._

" _Shame about the little girl," a voice floated up to them- the girl with the red hair. "She shouldn't have had to die so young."_

" _Don't tell me you feel sorry for her, Merida," Nightmare said harshly. "Or you can be next. Now keep looking!"_

 _There was no more talking as the seven continued to look, spreading out further from the tree that concealed the two boys._

 _Hiccup could feel Jack's anger practically radiating off him, and he knew how much control he was exercising not to go down there and kill every single one of them. Sophie had been a good friend of Jamie and Jack would be taking the loss very hard. He didn't know how long they sat there before the group returned empty handed._

" _I spotted tracks towards the lake," Merida said, "But I don't know who they belong to."_

" _Let's split and check them out," Nightmare said as the others nodded in agreement. Half headed towards the lake and the others set off in the direction of the Cornucopia, footsteps receding into the distance until only the rustling of leaves was present._

 _It was a few minutes before Hiccup dared release his hold on Jack, who instantly began scrambling down the tree. Hiccup followed at a slower pace, so by the time he reached the ground his companion was already at Sophie's side. He knew Jack would want a moment alone so he elected to stand and keep a look out for any returning tributes. He tried not to hear the sound of Jack sobbing behind him._

 _It fell quiet after a while and Hiccup heard a small sigh from behind him. He turned to find Jack stood less than a meter away, eyes red and downcast._

" _I'm so sorry, Jack."_

 _It was the only thing he could say as he wrapped the boy in a hug, his hand running through white hair as the sobs began again._

The Careers were fighting, and it was brutal. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were either side of Pitchiner, who was dodging and evading their attacks as Nightmare shot arrow after arrow towards the trio. Ruffnut got one in the arm and went down with a shriek as her brother managed to sneak past Pitchiner's defences and land a blow to his head with his axe.

Hiccup tore his eyes away from the fight for a second to navigate his way around the dome, making sure Jack didn't slip and fall. He was heading for the far end of the Cornucopia which was nearest to the mountainous area of the arena- if they were forced to run then he would much rather end up there. It was more difficult than it seemed- their path was slippery and one wrong move would send them pitching down onto the ground.

There was an agonising scream behind them, and Hiccup turned just in time to see Nightmare sink a long knife into Ruffnut's chest. A cannon blast echoed through the night air, causing Hiccup to jump in shock and lose his balance, feet flying from under him. There was a moment where he felt weightless as he fell through the air before he landed on the smooth side of the dome and began to slip.

"No!" Jack shouted as his hand was wrenched out of Hiccup's grasp.

He could see the crowd of beasts below him, jaws snapping eagerly as though they could sense he was in danger. Almost in slow motion he watched as he slid closer towards them- the first one was almost close enough to reach him, its mouth opening wide as it prepared to spring.

'This is it then. This is how I die.' Hiccup closed his eyes.

"Hic!"

 _He sensed Jack's eyes on him as he carefully built the fire out of the way of the wind. He finished building it and began attempting to light it- which was difficult up in the mountains with a chilly wind circling the outcrop they were sat on._

 _After a few attempts Hiccup finally managed to get the fire going and he set about preparing the rabbit they had caught yesterday to put on it. Once he was done he moved to sit next to Jack, who was still watching him._

 _Hiccup elected to look at the slowly growing fire, though the occasional glance to his left showed that Jack was watching him. After a few minutes of this he was beginning to wonder if he had something on his face and was about to ask when Jack spoke._

" _I think we have an issue."_

 _Hiccup held back a chuckle. "Despite being stuck in an arena for four weeks and counting with people trying to kill us?"_

 _Jack nudged his shoulder in reprimand. "Other than that, Hic."_

" _Okay, what then?"_

 _Jack seemed to be struggling with what to say next. He ran his hand through his snowy hair before looking around, taking his time scanning the surrounding parts of the arena._

" _Here's the thing," he began awkwardly. "I don't think I can kill you."_

 _Hiccup was more than a little taken aback. "What?"_

" _That came out wrong!" Jack said quickly. "Let me explain."_

 _Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Jack's face was red and he was now looking anywhere but at the other boy._

" _I mean that there can only be one winner of the games, Hic. And there are only seven tributes left."_

" _What are you getting at?"_

" _If it came down to it… Just me and you… I wouldn't be able to do it. I couldn't kill you. I… I care about you too much."_

 _Hiccup looked down at the worn boots he wore. So Jack was worried about the two of them being that last ones left in the games, and one would have to kill the other. With each cannon blast that possibility became more and more distinct. Jack was right, it was an issue, especially as…_

" _I couldn't kill you either."_

 _He heard Jack's breathing hitch slightly next to him._

" _You've become very important to me," Hiccup continued quietly. "Something for me to fight for, someone who's on my side when everyone else here wants to kill me."_

 _He had no idea where the words were coming from. Throughout the games he had tried to bury all his feelings and thoughts towards Jack but now they were all spilling out at once._

" _I don't think I can lose you know."_

 _He felt Jack move next to him so they were now only centimetres apart, and he finally looked up. Jack's face was almost touching his but Hiccup didn't move away._

" _I'm so sorry for doing this to you," Jack whispered. "But I can't hold back any more. If I die tomorrow at least I'll have done this."_

 _And then they were kissing. In the middle of the arena, with all of Panem watching, the boy from district four kissed the boy from district ten._

Pain. There was a horrible pain coming from his left leg, a pain so intense that he swore he blacked out for a second. But there was something else too. A hand had grabbed his and was trying to pull his body away from the death that waited for him below.

Jack. Of course.

Hiccup wanted to tell him to let go, to use him as bait so he could run free and win the games, but he couldn't get his voice to work. Little by little he was pulled out of the range of the mutts beneath him, back onto the dome where the Careers were still fighting.

Hiccup could barely open his eyes, but when he did he saw that Nightmare was down, Tuffnut's axe sticking out of her back as she twitched on the floor. His eyes fluttered closed again, and a few seconds later he heard the canon blast.

"Hic, Hic talk to me!" Jack was saying, hands frantically touching his face. "Please, please don't leave me like this!"

He tried, he really did, but the pain from his leg was threatening to overwhelm him. He dimly heard the last two Careers fighting over the other side of the dome, before he heard the sounds of a body hitting the floor and Tuffnut screaming before it was cut off abruptly.

A third cannon blast cut through the air.

"Hic, it's okay," Jack was whispering. "There's one left. Just one."

He felt the boy move as though to get up, and put the last of his strength into cracking his eyes open and grabbing his arm.

"Jack…"

He could barely raise his voice above a whisper but it caught his attention.

"Hic… If I die… I love you."

Then he was gone. Jack had gone to fight Pitchiner, the last remaining tribute. Hiccup couldn't decide what was worse, Jack dying by the Career's hand or Jack winning… Then they would be the last two. And there can only be one winner.

The surface of the dome around him was sticky with blood, and Hiccup dimly recognised it as his own. He fought to sit up and looked at his leg for the first time, well, what was left of it anyway. The mutt had managed to take it off just below the knee, leaving a bloody stump where his leg should have been. Hiccup nearly fainted at the sight.

Turning his head, he saw Jack had approached Pitchiner, armed only with a long staff he had grabbed along the way. Hiccup recognised it as an item that had been there from the start of the games.

He saw the Career say something quietly but couldn't make it out, before the pair sprang at each other for the last fight of the games. He drifted in and out of consciousness as they fought, Jack tirelessly evading the attacks the other threw at him in the form of black knives, whilst managing to get a few hits in himself.

Hiccup couldn't have said how much time passed, but eventually Pitchiner fell badly and let out a yell of pain. Jack wasted no time in aiming a blow to the teens head, knocking him out, before kicking him to the edge of the dome and over the edge.

He was already running as the canon blasted for a fourth time.

"Hic? Oh thank god you're still alive!"

"You did it," Hiccup whispered. Black spots were beginning to dance at the corners of his vision, which was slowly darkening. "Jack… I'm not going to make it."

"Yes you are, Hiccup."

The determination was unlike anything he had ever heard in Jack's voice. He sounded so confident, so sure of himself.

"How?"

Before Jack could reply a loud voice rang through the arena.

"Remaining tributes: You have one minute to end the games. Remember there can only be one winner."

"But what if there isn't," Jack whispered into Hiccup's ear. "I'm not killing you."

"You have to."

"I won't. I'm going with you. If we both jump there won't be a winner. I'm not winning these games without you here, Hic. I couldn't live with myself."

"They'll never stop the games," Hiccup protested weakly, but Jack ignored him as he put an arm under him, making him stand. "Please don't do this."

Jack edged them to the far side of the dome- the mutts were still a mere ten feet below.

"Jack I-"

"Hic, trust me, please."

Hiccup managed to focus on Jack, dimly aware that the sun had almost completely set now; there were a few last rays casting light over the clearing. The light was reflected in his blue eyes, giving them a slightly warm glow. The wind ruffled his snowy hair slightly, highlighting the flecks of red in it.

"I was going to say I love you," Hiccup said, knowing all of Panem was hearing him say it.

"I love you too."

They were both telling the truth, he could feel it. Somehow over the last few weeks they had come to rely on each other, for support, protection, everything. Hiccup knew that if the situations were reversed he wouldn't be able to let Jack go.

In the cooling air, with mutts snapping below and the Career tribute's bodies scattered around them, Hiccup and Jack shared one last kiss.

Then they dropped.

 _ **xxx**_

 _ **Thank you for reading! I would love to know what you thought, as I've never written anything in this form before. Also, I honestly don't know whether to end this here (they die) or write an epilogue (they live), so I'm marking this as complete and based on any reviews I get there may be a second chapter. Please help me decide, I honestly don't know what to do. Sorry for the sort-of cliff-hanger!**_

 _ **DustyStars**_


	2. Chapter 2

**So a few people reviewed saying they wanted Jack and Hiccup to live, so here's the second chapter where they do! Told from Hiccup's perspective again, hope you enjoy. I would love to hear what you think!**

 _DustyStars_

"STOP!"

It felt like forever as the two of them fell through the air. All Hiccup could register was the rush of cold air whipping through his hair, the sight of the ledge receding from his sight and pain radiating from his right leg. The mutts below were snarling loudly, when suddenly everything stopped. The wind stopped, the mutts stopped, even the sound of the trees around them stopped.

Then there came the impact. They hit the ground hard, Jack twisting them so Hiccup's injured leg was saved from the unforgiving ground beneath them, taking most of the fall himself. The breath was knocked out of them as black dots danced at the edge of Hiccup's vision, brain attempting to make sense of what was happening through the burning pain that seemed to consume his entire body. Laying there in a daze, he wondered absently why there was no howling, why the mutts weren't tearing them apart and why they weren't already dead. Then his eyes registered what was happening around them.

The mutts were gone, disappeared as though they had never been there. It seemed Jack's prediction had been right- the gamemakers had decided that two winners were better than none. He could hear the sound of hovercrafts in the distance, no more than a minute away if he judged it correctly. They had won- they were going home!

"Jack," he whispered, barely audible. "Jack, we did it."

He turned his head awkwardly to face the motionless boy next to him. White hair was obscuring his face and his eyes were closed. Blood was dripping from a cut on his face and it didn't look like he was breathing. No… Not after all this… He couldn't die now…

"Jack!"

It came out as a strangled whisper as he struggled to move so his weight was off the other boy, but the pain in his leg was so strong it made him black out for a second. When he was able to open his eyes again it was to the sight of two hovercrafts landing next to the Cornucopia, Capitol medics streaming out and running towards them.

He ignored them, instead turning back to Jack, searching desperately for signs of life. He tried to protest as the medics reached them and moved them apart from each other shouting as they obscured his companion from view. He continued to yell as they loaded him onto a stretcher and carried him back to the nearest hovercraft, which took off as soon as the last medic was on board. He didn't stop until they injected him with some kind of substance that made the black dots at the edge of his vision cloud the rest of his sight.

"Jack…"

Hiccup didn't know how long he was out for. The substance they had given him didn't put him to sleep fully- he could hear the muffled sounds of life around him, and if he strained his eyes he could make out blurry shapes moving randomly. There was a point where he felt something, a strange prodding in his right arm, before he went completely under and could no longer make anything out.

Time passed steadily for him, as he was lost in the sea of his own consciousness. He didn't know where he was, or what was happening around him, only that the pain in his leg had dulled over time until it was just a dull throb, so much so that he barely felt it anymore. Hiccup would quite like to have remained in this semi-comatose state- there was no pain here, no feeling of loss- he could barely even remember his own name, never mind anyone important to him.

But eventually, inevitably, Hiccup woke up.

His first thought was one of panic, as he realised he was a clear target for the rest of the tributes. He didn't know where he was but he had to keep moving, it was necessary for his survival! His eyes snapped open as he was halfway through moving- before realisation hit him and he remembered what had happened.

He and Jack had won the games, somehow, and now he appeared to be in his old room in the tribute tower in the Capitol. Looking towards the window and balcony he saw that it was late evening- the lights of the city just beginning to come to life. The last time he had been here Heather and the other twenty two occupants had been alive. Last time he had been here Jack had been with him.

Where was Jack? It was the one question Hiccup wanted answering most, yet the one he was most afraid of the answer. He had always been a realist, and he knew that the possibility that Jack had died in the fall was distinct, but he couldn't help but hope that he was alive. Jack had been the one to keep him going in the arena, the one that had stuck by him until the very end, and the one that Hiccup had somehow fallen in love with in a place where feelings were ultimately doomed to cause more pain.

Hiccup sighed slightly before moving to get out of the large bed. His foot, however, didn't seem to be cooperating. It kept tangling in the sheets and- oh. Oh yes, he had forgotten about that. He pulled the covers off to expose the metal contraption that was now stuck to the bottom half of his leg. From the knee down his left leg had been replaced by the smooth metallic surface of a prosthetic, the mechanisms inside neatly covered by plated metal. He couldn't tell the kind but it seemed light and manoeuvrable.

"Only the best in the Capitol, huh?" Hiccup muttered somewhat bitterly to himself as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and struggled to stand. It wasn't that he was mad about having a decent prosthetic, a little like Gobber's actually, but the fact that there were other people in his district who had lost limbs that had to make do with what the healers could do and the Capitol would never think to help them like this.

Once he finally managed to stand Hiccup limped his way over to the balcony, pushing open the glass doors to look out into the night. It was quite warm out, with a slight breeze coming to him from his right. Holding back a groan he sank into a sitting position, much the same way he had sat with Jack all those weeks ago. Come to think of it he really didn't know how much time had passed since the games had ended.

So much had changed since then, he had been through so much and he doubted he would be able to go back to his old life very easily. He and his family would be moving into one of the grand houses in the Victor's Village now, slightly away from the rest of the settlements, and they would never have to sign up for tesserae again with the amount of money they would have. Hiccup already knew what he was going to do with his money- buy as much food as possible to feed as many as he could. He hadn't forgotten the poverty that awaited him when he would finally return.

Did he want to return though? After everything he and Jack had been through, the feelings that had developed on both sides, would he really be able to leave him?

Could he go back to his district, knowing that Jack was returning to Four and there was the possibility of them never seeing each other again?

No, he couldn't.

He had to find him.

Ignoring the discomfort that came from his new prosthetic Hiccup stood again and left the balcony. If he was in the training centre it was likely Jack would be too. He just had to find a way down to the fourth floor.

He left his room and limped slightly into the main area of the tenth floor. It was exactly the same as he remembered it, all plush sofas and expensive looking pictures, but right now it was deserted. The TV was playing on the wall though, showing reruns of footage taken in the games. Hiccup turned away quickly as Heather's face flashed in the sky on the screen, he didn't want to relive those memories.

He went over to the door that would take him outside and tried to turn it, but it was locked. He bent down to try and see through the keyhole but it was dark on the other side.

"Well that's helpful."

Growling slightly Hiccup methodically tried all the windows in the main area. Most were locked, and the ones that weren't barely opened at all.

He didn't understand. Was he a prisoner? Had they left him for dead? Or were they just not expecting him to wake up yet?

Whatever the reason Hiccup wanted out. He just wanted to find Jack, alive or dead, and then find out what was going on in the rest of Panem. He and Jack were obviously highly unorthodox, not just in forcing the gamemakers to stop the games with them both still alive, but in the fact they had made their feelings quite public to the whole country. He wondered how people were taking that.

He wished he had the strength to watch the TV, but this time when he turned his gaze was met by footage of Sophie running from Ruffnut, who was laughing as she went. He couldn't bring himself to keep looking, instead turning and almost running for his room. The door slammed as the little girl's life ended onscreen.

Hiccup leaned against the other side of the door, panting slightly and resisting the urge to break something. It was not fair! The horrors of the arena came flooding back to him as though a dam had burst inside of him. Up until now he had been convincing himself that it was all just a dream but seeing that footage…

It had been real. Those kids had really died, some of them by Hiccup's hand. They weren't coming back and it was all because of the Capitol's stupid games! Something inside Hiccup snapped. A red cloud descended over his vision and he picked up the nearest object and threw it across the room, screaming as he did so. He reached for another thing and another, each one being thrown with more force than the last. Glass broke, mirrors shattered and fabric was ripped. Hiccup could barely see anything now, the tears that were falling made sure of that.

Eventually he sat down in the middle of the room and sobbed, not caring that his hands were cut and bleeding or that he could feel blood dripping down the side of his face. He didn't even react when the door burst open and the room was flooded with Capitol officials- medics, reporters, gamemakers. He didn't register the needle entering his arm again before he happily gave way to the darkness once more.

When he woke again he didn't move immediately. He didn't even open his eyes. It was only when he heard the faint sound of another person breathing that he moved. He was back in his bed again, and the room had been tidied and repaired. He was lying on his left side, so he could see once again that it was night. He wondered who was sat behind him. If it was someone from the Capitol he was going to ignore them- he wasn't in the mood to deal with any more bullshit.

"You really did a number on this place didn't you?"

Hiccup whipped around so fast his neck clicked. That voice, he knew that voice. It belonged to-

"Jack!"

He just registered the grin on the other's face before he threw himself at him. Arms went around his neck as Hiccup was finally able to hold the boy he had missed so much.

"I thought you were dead," he said, voice slightly muffled as he buried his head into the blue hoodie Jack was wearing. "I couldn't see you breathing when they took me away and I thought-"

Hiccup's voice cracked and he couldn't hold back the sobs that wracked his body again. Jack didn't say anything as he cried, only held him tighter and stroked his hair. After a few minutes Hiccup's crying slowed and he pulled back to look at Jack properly.

"I look terrible, don't I?" Jack laughed as Hiccup studied him.

"You've looked better," Hiccup conceded. It was true- the medics clearly hadn't given Jack the same treatment as himself. His body was still littered with bruises and cuts and his eyes had dark circles around them.

"What happened, Jack? What's going on?"

Jack just looked away, blue eyes becoming obscured by his white hair.

"Please tell me!" Hiccup said, worried by the other's silence. "I have no idea what's happening right now!"

Jack looked up at that, bright blue eyes meeting green ones properly for the first time since the games. Silently he reached for Hiccup's hand and pulled him out of bed and to the balcony. Once they were there Jack closed the glass door behind them and motioned for Hiccup to sit down.

"I think the rooms might be bugged," he said by way of explanation.

Hiccup simply nodded, waiting for Jack to talk.

The district four boy seemed to be thinking about what to say, and Hiccup tried his hardest not to fidget or rush him. Finally Jack seemed to work out what to say and moved forwards a little, taking Hiccup's hand.

"It's been four days since the games ended," he started slowly. "And I've been awake for three of those. I've been watching the news since I woke up, and from what I can gather the gamemakers really aren't happy with us."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow at this. "Well that's to be expected," he said.

Jack nodded before continuing. "But here's the thing. The news is making it seem like there's only one winner in a way. They're barely touching on the other one of us, and they're downplaying our relationship as much as possible. It's almost like one of us doesn't exist, as though one of us died."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "What does that mean?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Jack looked resigned as he cast a glance over the city below him before his eyes returned to Hiccup.

"It means I think the Capitol is going to kill me very soon."

"What?!"

"They're almost acting like I don't exist, and I don't conform. I volunteered and they don't like that. It was my idea to jump and they haven't made any comment to say whether I'm still alive or not. You're the logical choice to win, Hic, and it's so easy for them to make my death look like an accident. That way there'll only be one winner after all and the gamemakers can consider their games a success."

Hiccup sat there in stunned silence. They were going to kill Jack? Even after he won? He knew the Capitol could make people disappear but to a victor? If what Jack was saying was true then he wouldn't put it past them at this point.

"I would love to tell you that's not possible," Hiccup said quietly, unable to meet Jack's eyes. "But I've seen what the Capitol can do."

Jack nodded. "I know, but that doesn't mean I'm going to just take it."

"What can you do Jack?" Hiccup said, not caring that his voice was rising from panic. "You're in the middle of the most heavily guarded city in the country, do you think they'll just let you walk out and go back to your normal life?"

"Of course not."

Jack's hands found their way to his shoulders, where they stayed as he looked straight into Hiccup's eyes.

"I'm going to run away."

Hiccup opened his mouth but Jack stopped him.

"I know how I'm going to do it. I made it up here from my floor using the ledges and balconies. I'll go down the same way. When I'm down I'll find a way into the training room and get some weapons. I'll fight my way out if I have to."

The determination in his eyes was back, and for a moment Hiccup was lost, simply taking in the startling blue irises and the contrast they had with the rest of his face. It was then that he made up his mind.

"I'm coming with you."

Jack's eyes widened in shock. "Hic, no. It's too dangerous. You have to go back to your district! Think of your family.

"Jack, you're not changing my mind," Hiccup said, voice matching Jack's determination. "I'm done with playing the Capitol's games. I'm done with not being allowed to have what I want. I want you, and I'm not letting you go alone. You saved my life in the arena so many times, the least I can do is come with you now."

"You don't owe me this, Hiccup," Jack said softly. "I just want you to be happy."

"But I'm happy with you," Hiccup replied simply, and before Jack could protest he closed the gap between them and pressed their lips together.

When they broke apart Jack was still staring at him as though begging him to reconsider. Hiccup maintained the gaze though, not backing down. Finally Jack sighed.

"Okay."

The two said no more as they moved close together, wrapping their arms around each other and looking out over the city.

Soon they would try and escape the Capitol. Maybe they would make it, and they could leave the city behind forever, finally defeating the games and leaving them victor-less. Who knew, they could maybe sneak back into their districts to see everyone, to let them know that they were still alive. Hiccup would love to see Astrid and his parents again, as well as his cat, and he was sure Jack had loved ones he missed also.

Maybe they would make it, maybe they wouldn't. If they did, they would become the most wanted fugitives in Panem. But right now, they were just two boys, one from district four and one from district ten, sat on a balcony together and looking at the lights below them. Right now they were together.

They were right where they belonged.


End file.
